Bulgaria and the Federal Province of Lower Austria share a common vision for European and regional development and are in actively developing trade and economic relations. The bilateral trade has the potential to be even more dynamic, Head of State Rosen Plevneliev said after holding talks with the Prime Minister of Lower Austria Erwin Proll in Sankt Polten. Machine-building, electronics and electrical engineering, information technologies and textile industry were highlighted as particularly perspective sectors at the meeting. Almost 450 companies from Lower Austria have contacts with Bulgarian companies and these ties will be expanded in the future, particularly in the tourist sector, Prime Minister Proll said. Bulgaria is interested in the opportunities for inter-company cooperation, creating joint ventures and jointly entering third markets, as well as attracting investors for lot of infrastructure projects, President Plevneliev said. The Austrian experience in supporting companies that develop innovative technologies, as well as in the creation and development of clusters, is also of interest.
There are 17 economic parks in Lower Austria, which represent 940 national and international companies. The investors from Lower Austria can take advantage of the opportunities provided by the industrial zones and technological parks in Bulgaria.
Rosen Plevneliev and Erwin Proll voiced their support for strengthening the cooperation on all levels. The EU Danube strategy provides a lot of opportunities in this respect, as well as the establishment of the Danube brand and the Danube region as a common tourist destination. President Plevneliev said that Bulgaria is striving to actively interact with Lower Austria for ensuring the better and more efficient realization of the Danube region's economic potential. Lower Austria is extremely active with respect to regional cooperation and that within the Danube strategy.
The talks between the Head of State and the Prime Minister of Lower Austria also focused on the migration crisis. Erwin Proll noted that the Austrian authorities closely monitor the situation related to the migration flow. In his opinion, there are three main ways to deal with this problem – arriving at a common European solution to the migration flows and granting asylum, strengthening the protection along the external EU borders and fighting human trafficking.
President Plevneliev said that Bulgaria also monitors closely the migration flows towards Europe and the situation along the borders of neighboring countries. “Bulgaria is the only country that is not involved in transferring refugees from one border to another. Migrants in Bulgaria are registered, interviewed and granted a status. We draw a distinction between those escaping from war and those seeking better economic prospects. We rely on the European future, despite the big number of crises. All of them can be curbed with cooperation. A family unites at times of hardship and this is what should happen in the EU. We are seeking sustainable and working solutions,” the Head of State commented. In the past two years, Bulgaria has done a very good job in protecting the external border with Turkey. “We are in favour of implementing the agreement with Turkey and of having rules observed by everyone,” Rosen Plevneliev further emphasized .
President Rosen Plevneliev was awarded the Golden Commander's Cross with the Star of Honour for Services to the province of Lower Austria. Prime Minister Proll received the Order of the Balkan Range, First Class.
Later today the President will open an exhibition from the National Archaeological Museum in Sofia “The Glamor of the East” in the Klosterneuburg monastery. The exponents are displayed outside our country for a second time.